The majority of pets wear collars. A typical collar includes a strap or length of chain whose ends are held together by a suitable closure device, such as a buckle, clip, hasp, rings, or the like. One or more tags including information about the animal are usually attached to a collar. Three kinds of tags are most common. A first tag includes information about the pet and/or its owner, such as the pet's name, the owner's name, a phone number at which the owner can be reached, and/or an address at which the owner can be reached. A license or registration tag may also be worn by the pet as required by laws and regulations. A third tag that includes information confirming current rabies vaccination of the animal may also be worn as required by laws and regulations.
Conventional tags generally are attached to a metal collar ring and hang from the collar. Such tags jostle and jingle against each other whenever the animal moves. The jingling noise can be irritating. Hanging tags also pose a danger to humans, particularly small children, who can be hurt by contact with such tags if the animal is startled or otherwise moves too quickly. Hanging tags also pose a risk to the animal wearing the tag. Animals can inadvertently catch hanging tags in thick underbrush or between fence or deck boards, trapping and perhaps choking the animal. It would be desirable to have a tag that can be attached to a collar that does not hang loose and that does not jingle with other tags attached to the same collar.
Animal collars may be used for any of a variety of purposes. Containment collars are used to help control or restrain an animal. Choke collars, harnesses, pronged chain collars, nylon collars, cotton collars, leather collars, and the like are all used for containment. Training collars are used to help train an animal and also come in many forms. It is also known to topically or transdermally deliver therapeutic agents via a medicinal collar. Flea and tick collars, and anti-asthma collars are examples of medicinal collars. Collars may also be used for identification, adornment, or the like.
Collars can be lost for a variety of reasons. The owner or controller can remove the collar and then forget to replace it. For example, at nighttime, some owners remove an animal's collar so that tags on the collar do not jingle when the animal moves. Additionally, most closures or necklaces are not locked and can be easily opened and removed without the owner's consent. Children often remove collars without permission. Collars may also be pilfered by a third party. Collars may also inadvertently open and fall off of an active animal. Of course, once a collar is removed for whatever reason, identification for the animal is also removed.
There are many circumstances when it is desirable to include identification information on an animal collar. Such information is helpful when a pet gets lost. If identification information, such as the owner's name, address, and or phone number, is provided on the pet's collar, the owner of a lost pet can be contacted and then reunited with the pet. However, it is very difficult to locate the owner of a lost animal when the animal's collar to which the information has been attached is lost, pilfered, or otherwise missing or damaged. Accordingly, there is a need for a more secure approach for attaching identification information to an animal collar.
Identification information, especially electronically discernible identification information, is also helpful to ensure that a particular action occurs only in response to the presence of a particular animal. For instance, electronic pet doors are available from a number of commercial sources including Pet Doors USA, Inc. and Reilor Ltd. ("Staywell" brand). These pet doors open in response to a signal from an electronic device, such as a transponder, attached to the animal's collar. The electronic device typically stores a unique identification code associated with the corresponding door so that the door can only be opened by a pet whose collar has the right code. However, a pet cannot open one of these doors if the electronic collar is missing. Electronic food dishes are also available under the Staywell brand. These dishes are not actuated by an animal's proximity, but rather include a succession of food compartments that open at set time intervals over a period of time.
A transponder is generally a compact, relatively inexpensive electronic device which includes a memory capable of storing a relatively small amount of data. Transponders having either reprogrammable or one-time programmable memories are known. With a reprogrammable memory, information stored in the memory can be changed and/or updated as often as desired. Additionally, information can be read from the memory as often as desired. A reprogrammable memory is also referred to in the art as a "read/write" type of memory. With a one-time programmable memory, on the other hand, information can be written to the memory only a single time. Thereafter, the stored information can be read from the memory as often as liked, but the information cannot be changed or updated. One-time programmable memories are often referred to in the art as "write once/read many" type of memories.
Transponders may include an internal power source or, alternatively, transponders can be parasitically powered. Internally powered transponders include an internal power supply, such as a battery, for powering transponder operations. The service life of such transponders is limited by the power supply. In contrast, parasitically powered, or passive, transponders do not have an internal power source. Instead, such transponders receive power from an external device such as an interrogation unit. Passive transponders potentially have a very long service life, because the service life of such transponders is not limited by the amount of power stored in an internal power supply.
In a typical transponder operation, an interrogation unit is used to transmit an interrogation signal to the transponder. An antenna incorporated into the transponder receives the interrogation signal. Circuitry processes the interrogation signal and develops a response signal whose content depends upon the transponder's programming and circuitry. After developing the response signal, the transponder then transmits the response signal back to the interrogation unit. Based upon the nature of the response signal, appropriate follow-up action can be taken. If the transponder is of the passive type, circuitry coupled to the antenna also converts the interrogation signal into an accumulated voltage. Such voltage is used to power transponder operations. Transponders have been widely described in the literature, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,150,114; 5,041,826; 4,463,706; 4,463,353; 4,459,590; 4,364,043; 4,325,146; 4,129,855; and 4,114,151.
A unique sequence of data bits corresponding to a specific identification code can be easily stored in the memory of a transponder. As a result of this characteristic, the electronic identification tags incorporating transponders have been used as a way to assign unique identification codes to various items or entities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,918 describes the use of electronic identity tags for animal identification purposes, herd management, security systems, inventory control, process control, and monitoring the functions of an animal, such as feeding, body temperature and milk production. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,499,626; 5,511,553; and 4,857,893.
Transponders incorporating identification codes have been associated with human patients and animals using invasive techniques. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,626 describes an approach in which a transponder is subcutaneously injected into a human patient or an animal using a transponder injection device. It would be more desirable if the use of invasive techniques could be avoided.
Transponders incorporating identification codes also have been associated with animals by incorporating a transponder onto a tag and then attaching the tag to the animal in some fashion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,328 describes attaching such a tag to a hole punched through an animal's ear. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,706 shows attaching such a tag to a collar worn around an animal's neck.